1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to juice dispensers and in particular to a magnetic mixer therefor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Postmix orange juice dispensing systems are known. Orange juice concentrate is distributed frozen. Restaurants remove concentrate from the freezer and thaw the concentrate in a cooler prior to dispensing. The restaurant has to estimate its juice requirements at least two days in advance and place sufficient concentrate in its cooler. If the restaurant's estimates are incorrect or if someone forgets, the restaurant will run out of thawed concentrate. Also, there is often a limited amount of cooler space available for thawing orange juice concentrate. When a restaurant runs out of thawed concentrate, measures are sometimes taken to quickly thaw frozen concentrate and such measures often are inefficient and ineffective and also sometimes affect the taste of the resulting product. Orange juice concentrate has typically been 3+1 concentrate. The present invention is useful preferably with 5+1 concentrate, although it can be used with any desired ratio up to about 7.5+1. The reduced amount of water in 5+1 concentrate prevents a phase change or freezing, at typical freezer temperatures of -10.degree. F. to 0.degree. F. The 5+1 concentrate at freezer temperatures does not readily flow by gravity. A container of 0.degree. F. product can be inverted and no product will flow out. Also, the product is so thick that a pump's suction cannot pull product from the container. However, the product is still pliable.
It is important in postmix juice dispensing equipment that the concentrate and water be properly mixed. If proper mixing is not obtained, an unacceptably high brix stratification can result. Mixing is also important when the concentrate contains high amounts of pulp.
It is an object of the present invention to provide improved mixing for postmix juice equipment.
It is another object of this invention to provide a juice dispenser with a magnetic mixer.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved mixer for high pulp juice dispensers.